Day 12 of 31 Stories - Character Field Day

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 I know it's been a few days. I have still been writing, the stories just haven't gotten beyond an extended drabble yet, and it feels weird to post something that isn't finished. Today's is a little odd, as well. I'd mentioned that I had a story not so much take a left turn as a pirouette and then fall down the stairs, and I decided to write down the discussion I may as well have had with the character who led the way on that particular journey. So enjoy day 12 - Character Field Day

I flip through the notes on the page in front of me, then address the blank screen on my computer. I have a rough idea of what kind of characters I want to write, and how they may play out. The first character type has wings, some sort of musical ability, maybe a bard or troubadour type in a fantasy setting - let's put them over here and see how-

-*poof* Nope! I don't sing, I don't tell stories, and I'm not in a standard fantasy setting. In fact, I show up as the anchor for a complex-yet-undefined physical pyramid-ish shape of other avian-Human hybrids (and Humans has the capital H, very important).

*blink blink* Well then. That... that was unexpected. All right, so we've got hybrids between birds and human- excuse me, Humans. OK, I can work with that. Sounds like you're still a performer, though, so maybe a circus? You can get away with a lot in a circus.

-*ponders* A circus could work. We're going to be in a modern-ish setting, so there are audience members that assume we're all smoke and mirrors and prosthetics, so we have to stand there and deal with the scrutiny, but we should have some time to ourselves.

I can make that work. Let's give you a bouncer, big guy - probably strictly Human so he can deal with the prejudice that is apparently now popping up in this fantasy world, thanks for that - and give you all a moment to chat. Everybody speaks English, right?

-Oh, please! What kind of world with animal-Human hybrids would allow for that sort of thing? We're bird folk. Some of us have beaks, and those don't make the same kinds of sounds. Nah, I think I'm going to be the only one in my troupe who has to deal with the Humans - the others don't talk. At least, they don't talk to Humans

Got it, makes sense. So you're the leader of the, ah, flock, then?

-... I haven't decided if that's a slur, or just a bad pun. And no, I'm not the leader - I don't make the decisions, I just speak them to the poor souls without beaks. Well, the other poor souls. You know what I mean.

Aha! So you are a bard! My original idea stands!

-Whatever makes you happy. *eye roll*

By the by, you ever going to tell me your name?

-... Maybe?

What is it with you characters and your inability to tell me your names right away? Ugh. You act like I'm going to steal your names away and hide them away until I need to control you.

-That's exactly what you writer-types do with our names. And you even have the audacity to change our names on your whims! How do you think we feel when we get used to thinking of ourselves as, say, Melvin, and one day you decide that no, really, our name is Malcolm. Everything we knew as Melvin was a lie - we're really Malcolm, and in fact, we never were Melvin. It was all a lie, nothing to see here, run along now. Do you know how many characters are in therapy for this kind of thing??

I can't say I ever thought of it. Also, I don't think I've ever named a character either Melvin or Malcolm, and I doubt I ever would, really. Neither are names that say much to me. Melvin just sounds too silly, especially.

-NOT THE POINT. Ugh, writers like you are why so many of us have to go through Revision Therapy. I'm just glad I'm a one-off, so you probably won't have a chance to mess with me again and I can go back to the Library and hang out with all the other character sketches that aren't going anywhere.

OK, ow. And the more you talk, the more likely it is that you'll be showing up again, Melvin.

-... I thought you weren't going to name a character Melvin?

I changed my mind. It suits you. At least for right now. I might change my mind again later.

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